


Mr. Squiggles

by mandaree1



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, I'll come back and edit later but screw the details tonight, Pizza Rolls, Raph being a worrywart, Snuggling, also just a warning I did literally no proofreading on this one, little shit leo, stuffed animals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 12:15:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16723215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandaree1/pseuds/mandaree1
Summary: Raph didn't seem to know much anymore; he didn't know how to feel about Baron Draxum and his whole deal, he didn't know what to think of the secret city and the hesitant place offered in it after so long of isolation, and (with every failed mission) he didn't think he knew how to be much of a leader, either. But he knew he loved stuffies, and that would never change, so he pulled out a grimy hedgehog he'd found at the dump and gave it a hug."Don't you worry, buddy," he said to it, quietly. "I'mma keep you safe, alright? I'mma keep all of us safe."He just needed to figure out how.





	Mr. Squiggles

The best part of New York, in Raph's eyes, was that every street was an entirely new place. He could, conceivably, hop from place to place, trading names and backstories, and never intersect. It's a neat kind of freedom, where you can be an entirely different turtle if you felt like it.

But Raph is a mutant, and Raph doesn't really mingle with humans, so Raph is less of a new person and more of a turtle icicle as he leaps from rooftop to rooftop, pausing to look around every three or so. Fog escapes his maw, then steam as he futilely tries to heat himself up. Something flaming flickers around his lips as he stops to catch his breath. Mutant powers could be very useful, provided you knew how to use them, which Raph didn't.

Raph didn't seem to know much anymore; he didn't know how to feel about Baron Draxum and his whole deal, he didn't know what to think of the secret city and the hesitant place offered in it after so long of isolation, and (with every failed mission) he didn't think he knew how to be much of a leader, either. But he knew he loved stuffies, and that would never change, so he pulled out a grimy hedgehog he'd found at the dump and gave it a hug.

"Don't you worry, buddy," he said to it, quietly. "I'mma keep you safe, alright? I'mma keep all of us safe."

He just needed to figure out how.

The moment was ruined by the familiar chime of Despacito. Raph grabbed his phone from seemingly thin air and hit answer. "Heya, April. What's up?"

"What's up? What's up?" April scoffed. " _What's up_  is that I used my hard-earned green to buy you boys enough pizza to drown in and you're not here!"

"Sorry, April," he said agreeably. "I'm patrollin'."

"Patrolling?"

"Ye. I figured, since all them bugs got out, it wouldn't hurt to do a quick once-over of the city. Y'know, see if I can spot any clusters." Raph squeezes the hedgehog closer to his chest. It squeaked. "I found me a new bedtime buddy! Can you believe somebody just threw him out?"

"Quick? Raph, this is New York. Ain't nothin' quick about you 'patrolling' it on foot."

"I got the time," he defended, shrugging.

April changed tactics. "Did I do somethin', Raph? You'd rather run around the city alone than hang out with me?"

"What? No!" He viciously shook his head. "Never, April!"

"Then get over here! I dunno how long I can keep these hounds off the last cheese slice."

Raph opened his mouth to agree, but then he saw the hedgehog, tattered and dirty. It had to lean on him to stay upright. That's what a leader did. They let people lean. They didn't do the leaning. And even if he wasn't much of a leader, he was very much a big brother, and Raph would die before he'd let someone take that title away from him. "No thanks, April. I'm almost done here. No point in stopping now, you know?"

"Oh," she said, surprised. "Well, alright then. You be safe, okay?"

"I will be," he replied, then hung up before she could convince him this was a bad idea.

* * *

"Red."

Raph pokes his head into the living room. "Yeah?"

Splinter doesn't look up from his snacks, but he does pause the recording he's watching, which is second best. "You missed Family Feud. It's your favorite."

"Sorry, pops."

"You should be. There were some excellent goofs." His nose twitched. "Go to bed. Ribbing you is no fun when you're half-asleep."

Raph yawned. He was so cold he feared he may have frost on his scales, and he didn't doubt that a brief hibernation was in his future. "Okay. G'night, dad. Love you."

"Yeah, yeah." Splinter waved him off, trying to hide his smile.

The snapper turtle dragged himself through the lair, his eyes just barely open. Raph knew, distantly, that he should probably take a bath or something, but he didn't have the energy for that sort of thing. He'd just wash his sheets later. He yawned again.

"Raph!" Mikey cheered, hopping over the upper floor railing. He ran at him with his arms open, no doubt hoping for a hug and piggy back combo, but quickly screeched to a halt as he got a better look. "Whoa. What happened to you?"

"Nothin'," he said, but there was no heat behind it. "I just went out for a bit."

"You look like you got hit by a truck, dude."

"Ey, give me some credit. It was a dumpster."

Mikey grabbed one big hand and began to lead him away. "Come'on, buddy. Let's get you tucked in."

Raph, too tired to complain, obediently bobbed his head up and down. "'Kay."

They fell into that kind of silence where one was comfortable and the other wasn't. Raph was content to let Mikey walk with him, while Mikey internally tried to figure out if a half-frozen brother was enough of a reason to yell this early in the morning. He finally decided it wasn't- Raph was walking, talking coherently, and probably in a grumpy enough mood to noogie him if he tried to get Donnie before a nap.

"So," he said instead. "New friend?"

"Hmm?" Raph blinked. "Oh, yeah. I got him at the dump." He held out the hedgehog, chest puffed out with pride. "He's all spikey, like me!"

"Awww." The youngest turtle brother gave the newest addition an obligatory welcome hug.

"His name is Mr. Squiggles," he added, coming up with it on the fly.

"I'd die for Mr. Squiggles." Mikey patted the stuffy on the head. "Hey, you want me to wash this little guy for you?"

Raph pulled back. The hedgehog had seen him this far along; it felt wrong to part with him now. "Nah, man, I'm good. Not tonight."

The oldest turtle collapsed into bed with a sigh of relief. His feet were thick and hard, but he was fairly certain that he was blistered to high heaven nonetheless. Due to the unfortunate reality of his very sharp shell, Raph tended not to cuddle with his teddy bears most nights, but tonight he was so exhausted he was certain he wouldn't toss and turn. He pulled the whole gang in close, noticing with some amusement that Mr. Squiggles was the smallest of them.

"Now, be nice, Doc." He tapped the hard black nose on one of them. "I know you like to roughhouse, but you gotta be gentle with your little brother." The smile left Raph's face as he studied them all, scarred and stitched from years of love. "I dunno, guys. I just... I feel like I'm not being the best I can be. I tried to take charge and Leo almost died. I tried to patrol the city but it's way too big. If I can't lead and I can't protect... well, what can I do?"

There was no response. Raph set his chin on his forearms with a sigh, eyes sliding closed.

* * *

Raph woke to the familiar sound of Donnie's mutterings and the feeling of a metal claw chipping leftover dirt and water out from between his spikes. Mikey was draped across his legs, mashing buttons on his well-loved DS. Leo sprawled out between him and the wall, hands tucked behind his head as he hummed out a tune Raph wasn't awake enough to decipher.

"Hey," Raph said. "What did I say about knocking first?"

Donnie lifted his goggles up. "Oh, good, you're awake. How did you manage to get this gunked up? You were cleaner after fighting that giant gummy bear last week."

"That's 'cause I ate the gummy bear."

He shuddered. "Yeah, because I needed  _that_  reminder."

"Speaking of eating," Leo broke in, rolling over. "We totally ate all the pizza April brought by."

" _We?_ " Donnie's eyebrows rose. "I specifically remember saying 'no, Leo, we have to save some for Raph, he'll try to eat the fridge again if we don't' and you ignoring me and eating the rest of the pizza."

"We still have pizza rolls," offered Mikey sheepishly.

Raph buried his nose into his arms. "I'm good, but thanks. Just wanna sleep."

"That's what happens when a cold-blooded creature goes out in the cold.  _We've been over this, Raph_."

"I have a heart of red-hot passion that makes up for that."

"Never say that sentence again."

Mikey patted his side. "I'll go heat up the oven for you, big guy. You want me to get Mr. Squiggles in the washer? He should be nice and warm by the time Donnie's done checking for mold and you're done eating."

He looked at the hedgehog- rough and a little worse for wear, just like him- and sighed. "Yes, please. He could use a little pampering."

**Author's Note:**

> Have some Raph hurt/comfort! 
> 
> -Mandaree1


End file.
